Chamber and committees

Current forensic pathology service levels in Aberdeen have made no significant impact to the investigation of drug related deaths in Aberdeen.

The majority of post mortem examinations in relation to deaths suspected to be due to the consumption of drugs can be conducted in Aberdeen without any delay.

The Scottish Government, along with the other UK nations, relies on advice about screening programmes from the UK National Screening Committee (UK NSC), an independent expert advisory group. The UK NSC is not currently considering a targeted screening proposal for those who have been exposed to diethylstilbestrol. It has also not received a request or proposal to do so during its annual call for topics to consider.

However, in line with the UK NSC’s current recommendations, all women aged between 50 to 70 years old are invited for breast screening every three years. In addition, those aged between 25 and 64 are invited for routine cervical screening every 5 years. The individual may be invited for more regular cervical screening or until they are aged 70 if previous results have found changes that need to be monitored.

The Scottish Government does not hold any information about the numbers of women who have been found to have cancer through those screening programmes and who may also have been prescribed diethylstilbestrol.

Social Security Scotland currently deliver 15 benefits. Applicants are not required to declare how much income tax they pay as part of the application process for these administered payments.

Social Security Scotland’s low income benefits are means-tested but assessed based on qualifying benefits received from the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions or HMRC.

Therefore, for those who receive payment from Social Security Scotland, there is no information held on which income tax bracket they belong to.

It is vital that maximum support, sufficient budget and greater long-term certainty are provided by the UK Government (UKG) to allow Scottish projects to succeed in CfD AR7 and future rounds.

We must build on the positive results of this year’s Allocation Round, which were a step in the right direction and demonstrate the importance and capability of Scotland to deliver zero carbon power.

We will continue to work with the UKG to secure project delivery as well as investor and supply chain confidence, which includes encouraging the UKG to expedite work to ensure timely grid connections and strengthened grid infrastructure.

We also welcome the UKG’s Clean Industry Bonus (CIB), which will be incorporated into the CfD scheme for AR7. We expect Scottish offshore wind projects and supply chain to benefit from this new initiative and look forward to seeing the results.

In my capacity as Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy, I can confirm that I have not met with the listed Community Councils and I currently have no plans in place to meet them.

COPFS has spent £19,485.37 on locum forensic pathologists since April 2024.

Where forensic service providers in Scotland have instructed the use of a forensic pathology locum pathologist to provide assistance, for example to cover sick leave, the costs are not known but there has been no additional cost to COPFS.

The Scottish Government does not collect data on the time-period in which people enter employment following support from the No One Left Behind Programme. However, the Scottish Government does collect data on the number of people entering employment and those that are still in employment at specific points thereafter - 4, 13, 26 or 52 weeks.

The most recent statistics indicate that of the 20,743 people supported through No One Left Behind that have entered employment since 2019, 8,657 (42%) were in employment at 4 weeks, 8,130 (39%) at 13 weeks, 7,102 (34%) at 26 weeks, and 4,227 (20%) at 52 weeks after entering employment.

Note that these figures are based on the percentage of all people that have entered employment who responded to the follow-up question. Therefore it is not a full or complete sample and we believe the data is therefore likely an undercount of the true figure.

The Scottish Government is actively reviewing this methodology following user consultation earlier this year to improve reporting on the duration of outcomes for No One Left Behind participants.

COPFS has spent £19,485.37 on locum forensic pathologists in Aberdeen since April 2024.

COPFS’ case management database does not recognise the category of death of ‘industrial accident’. In order to identify deaths which may fall into this category, each of the 576 Crown-instructed post mortem examinations which were performed in Aberdeen in 2023-24 would require to be reviewed.

COPFS work closely with the mortuary team and locum pathologists to ensure that post mortem examinations taking place in Aberdeen are completed within the target turnaround time in the majority of cases. Regular performance updates are provided to COPFS and stakeholders work collaboratively to address any performance issues.

All post mortems are completed by experienced NHS consultant pathologists following the Royal College of Pathologist guidance and standards.